The autumn season is often dry, so it's important to drink plenty of water. So, can you drink lemon water in the fall? Let's take a look at the precautions for drinking lemon water in autumn together!
1. Don't drink lemon water on an empty stomach.
Lemon water is acidic with a very low pH value. Drinking it on an empty stomach or in excessive amounts can damage the gastric mucosa. Therefore, pay attention to the acidity and the amount consumed. Drink lemon water in moderation, and no more than 1000 milliliters per day. If you are drinking lemon water for weight loss, be sure to brush your teeth frequently to prevent acidic substances from the lemon juice from lingering on your teeth, which could lead to cavities—a得不偿失 outcome.
2. Don't drink too much lemon water at once.
Diluted lemon water is a great beverage with very low sugar content (lemons contain about 0.5% sugar, and it's further diluted with a lot of water), so the energy content can be considered negligible and it won't cause weight gain. However, this changes when you add sugar or honey. Sour foods with a little sugar are always particularly appealing, and lemon water is no exception. Adding a little honey to chilled lemon water makes it especially refreshing and thirst-quenching.
However, lightly sweetened lemon water contains about 5% sugar. Whether it's the fructose in honey or sucrose in white sugar, it all provides energy. At 5% sugar, a paper cup (200 grams) of sweetened honey water contains 40 kilocalories. Drinking two cups is equivalent to eating a quarter bowl of rice. Therefore, those watching their weight still need to limit their intake and should not indulge in large amounts of honey lemon water just because it's delicious.
3. The water for lemon water should not be too hot or too cold.
If the water for steeping the lemon is too cold, its aroma won't be easily released. If steeped with boiling water, more bitter substances, such as hesperidin, will be leached out. Some worry that high water temperature will destroy the vitamin C. In fact, lemon is quite acidic, and vitamin C is relatively heat-stable in acidic conditions and is not as easily lost.
4. Lemon water must be diluted.
If you are using lemon water instead of plain water to quench your thirst, it must be diluted. Steep one large slice of lemon (with peel) in 1 liter of water, which can yield 3-4 small cups. Generally, it can be steeped 2-3 times; just replace the slice when the lemon flavor is gone. The lemon water prepared this way is not sour or astringent, has a fresh fragrance, and can be drunk without adding sugar or honey, with its energy content being almost negligible. If you use more lemon slices, you will need to add sugar or honey to balance the sourness.